Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has signalled that the club's transfer business this summer is not yet finished, despite the arrival of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
When questioned about the possibility of further additions before the window closes, Arteta gave a clear indication that the Gunners remain active in the market. "Well that's what we're trying to do," he said. "If we have the right player in the market to make us much better, we are very looking forward to that."
The comments come shortly after Arsenal completed the long-awaited signing of Guimaraes, a deal that had been the subject of extended negotiations before finally being finalised. The midfielder has already begun training with his new teammates, though he was not deemed ready to feature in the recent match against Borussia Dortmund. He could instead make his first appearance for the club against Como on Wednesday night, ahead of the Community Shield clash with Manchester City this weekend.
Despite Arsenal having conceded goals in their last two outings, Arteta pushed back against suggestions that defensive reinforcements were now a priority following those performances. "I wouldn't go there just to put it isolated there," he explained. "We conceded some poor goals the other day, some poor goals today. In the way we competed, especially. But that's a very collective responsibility. So we need to improve with the players that we have. And we want to improve for sure."
The Spanish coach was clearly buoyed by finally landing Guimaraes after the protracted transfer saga, and he did not hold back in his praise for the player's early impression on the squad. "We see very clearly, especially the energy that he brought immediately to the training ground, the hunger, the desire to come here and create a big history at the club," Arteta said.
He went on to explain how the Brazilian fits into his broader vision for the club's progression. "That's the ambition that we need. We want to go to the next level and I'm very, very much convinced that we're going to need players with such a personality, desire and character to push everybody inside the organisation to go even higher," Arteta stated.
Beyond the intangible qualities, Arteta also detailed the tactical benefits Guimaraes is expected to bring to the team. He highlighted the midfielder's flexibility to operate in multiple roles depending on tactical needs or the identity of the opposition. "The versatility to play in two different positions in relation to what we want or the opponent does," he noted.
Arteta further elaborated on Guimaraes' technical attributes, pointing to his ball-winning instincts and ability to drive play forward at pace. "A player who obviously has tremendous timing and intuition to win the ball back and progress play very, very fast. He's a player that is very comfortable putting people through, moving between the lines, moving in behind," he said.
The Arsenal boss also praised the Brazilian's attacking instincts, suggesting he could add a new dimension going forward. "And then he's a goal threat. He's got a smell and a really good timing to get in the box. And he has the capacity to finish the actions," Arteta added.
With preseason continuing and the Community Shield on the horizon, Arsenal fans will be watching closely to see whether Guimaraes' introduction is followed by further reinforcements, as Arteta continues shaping his squad for the challenges ahead.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.